I know everybody is enthusistically looking forward to the new semester, but did anybody get an opportunity over last summer to watch the repeat of the BBC's four part series If Walls Could Talk: a History of the Home and also Elegance and Decadence, the Age of the Regency, a further three part series first broadcast September 2011 on BBC four? Only, I must admit to have been smitten and still am, by the engaging and honest personality of the presenter of each Dr. Lucy Worsley. Especially as she sucessfully managed to turn the (plausabley) mundane history of British domesticity into an entertaining and educational programme. Dr. Worsley's ability to be articulate and authoritative, yet still keeping a common touch meant viewers where treated to a series of fascinating insights into the evolution of the British home, from the perspective of the lounge, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Her hands on approach to history has also found admirers from the national newspapers. Reviewing If walls Could Talk, Sam Wallaston of the Guardian reported the historian an excellent communicator and admitted that he never 'new that the history of sanitation could be so much fun' and James Walton writing in the Telegraph found Dr. Worsley's presenting endearing and solidly informative and being 'particularly good at tracing cause and effect'.
From what I can gather TV presenting is still part time and Dr. Worley's day job is the Chief Curator of the Palace Museums. Already a successful author and TV presenter might I suggest that such an obvious talent should not be ignored, but instead approached and invited to address the New History Lab, (we can only but try) leastways before Museum Studies steal our thunder?
